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Carbon/Resource Offsetting

The debate surrounding the pros and cons of carbon offsetting and carbon emissions trading is fast becoming a contentious one, as both campaigners, scientists, citizens, governments and corporate interests struggle to find a practical solution to the crisis of climate change that everyone can live with; however, in the mean time, there is little disputing that the depletion of our rainforests poses a very real threat to life. We offer our customers the ability to offset the energy consumed by our product deliveries to them. To this end we will be paying a donation of 50p per offset delivery to the charity Rainforest Concern, to implement their 'Forest Credits' project in Intag, Ecuador.

They are aiding a community-owned program to replenish the watersheds in the area, which, at the same time, reforests that part of the Amazon, helping to preserve the forests.

We would be grateful if you could assist us by giving a donation of 25p to help us with this programme. The 25p can be included by selecting RF with your delivery charge on the delivery details page. We will pay the other half of the 50p offset per parcel. If you don't wish to contribute, you don't have to, just use the drop down next to the delivery charge box and select or de-select the resource/carbon offset charge.

Rainforest Concern, established Forest Credits, to run and manage its own offset projects. Projects are set up to protect threatened areas from deforestation, and use the charity’s 20 years experience running successful conservation projects across 13 countries.Their carbon offsetting program has the aim to not just offset carbon but also to protect endangered habitats and species; protect the important water storage the forest provides, that helps regulate the climate; and protect the homes and sustainable livelihoods of the indigenous peoples.

The first offset project is the Neblina Reserve in North West Ecuador. This cloud forest is part of a larger plan, the Choco-Andean Corridor Project, to create a biological corridor in one of the most biodiverse on the planet. The Chocó Andean region is under constant threat of deforestation and forest degradation due to encroaching agriculture, new road building, logging and mining. Revenue from Forest Credits funds annual conservation and protection of the reserves. Forest rangers from the local community are employed to patrol and protect the area against deforestation activities. Degraded land within the project area is restored via natural seeding. Development programmes offer income to communities living near the project area, reducing the potential risk that Rainforest Concern’s protection of the forest simply displaces deforestation to a different area. Income from Forest Credits is also used to purchase adjoining land to create buffer zones, further protecting the Reserve.

This year they were able to increase monitoring and protection of the area, and also purchase additional buffer zone land. They are currently in negotiation to purchase more land to extend the buffer zone, and extend the corridor, and are hoping to raise funds through Forest Credits.

Forest Credits are independently assessed and audited in line with highest international methodologies. The projects are be re-audited every five years to make sure they are achieving the carbon savings anticipated.

Support from businesses is vital to the Forest Credits programme, and many businesses can see the benefits of offsetting their CO2 emissions with Forest Credits. Thinking bigger than carbon, they like the co-benefits Forest Credits provides to indigenous communities, the ecosystem and environment. And they like to be able to demonstrate to both clients and staff another area in which they are taking their environmental responsibilities seriously.